Hydraulic lines and conduits are used to provide power and data communications to equipment installed in wet environments like downhole and subsea environments. Electrical and fiber-optic cable connections must often be made deep in a well bore or at great ocean depths. Therefore, wet-mateable or “wet mate” connectors have been developed that allow equipment to be connected and disconnected in harsh wet environments.
A number of wet mate connectors feature a male end that includes a plug, and a female end that includes a socket to receive the plug. The plug and socket each include one or more electrical contacts. The electrical contacts must be protected from exposure to production fluid, seawater and contaminants during mating and disconnection of the male and female ends. In addition, interior spaces in the connector must be pressure balanced with the exterior environment so that the male and female ends can be mated and disconnected properly. Balancing interior and exterior pressure alleviates stresses on internal components and prevents components from becoming locked or jammed.
Some wet mate connectors include internal seals to protect electrical contacts. Nevertheless, many seals are designed for short-term use, and are not adequate to withstand harsh temperature and pressure conditions through repeated use in permanent or long-term installations. In addition, many connectors incorporate seals and other components for balancing pressures that occupy a relatively large amount of space, and are not small enough to be used in many well bores. In some well bores, less than an inch of space is allocated for the diameter of the connector. Unfortunately, conventional wet mate connectors cannot simply be made smaller. Even if they were to be reduced in size, they still cannot address the challenges of providing adequate pressure balancing and seal integrity, which are necessary in permanent or long-term installations subject to high temperatures and pressures.